1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to wheeled carriers and, more particularly, to such carriers that are collapsible to a minimum dimension for hand carrying and storing.
2. Prior Art
The problem of providing a sturdy, collapsible hand cart for transporting weighted items, such as fishing equipment, boat engines or the like, to and from boats, that can be collapsed or folded into a small package for storage or transporting in an automobile, airplane or boat is of long-standing, and many devices of the prior art provide for solutions of one type or another.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,884,257 teaches a foldable hand truck for transporting and displaying items such as boat engines. The hand truck, when in a folded position, is not confined within the dimensions of the frame members, as the handles and wheels extend well beyond the frame area and no foldable weight-supporting shelf is provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,241,852 teaches a folding hand truck for transporting boat engines and the like. Although this hand truck folds to a small package and a foldable weight-supporting shelf is provided, it takes excessive time to prepare the truck for use or for storage. The truck must be dismantled in part for storage and re-assembled for use. The loss or breakage of its removable elements over a long period of time appears certain.
Additional examples of folding hand trucks or the like are taught by U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,409,838; 2,507,234; 2,745,643; 3,014,760; 3,400,942; 3,229,990 and 3,947,054.